Last year my local grocery store of choice remodeled.
If you're the main grocery shopper in your household, which I am, you may shop the sales to some extent but you usually end up going to one store in particular out of preference, and this was mine. I knew where everything was in the store, so I could do my shopping quickly and efficiently. I knew that the quality of meat and produce was reliable, and that the everyday prices were fair, and that they kept it reasonably clean, and that it was on the way home from most of the other places I tend to go. I knew most of the clerks and made small talk with them as I checked out.
When construction began, I complained about it to friends and family in a slightly grumpy manner--the store was too big, things weren't where I expected them to be, blah blah blah. Mainly, of course, I resented having to relearn the comfortable shopping experience. Gatorade was now by the soda instead of by the juice, what's up with that? Why do the frozen meat products come before the regular meats? Not being able to shave off those few precious minutes from my shopping time was terrible.
And you know, for a while I did start going to the other grocery store in town. (It's a small town, there are only two.) But the prices weren't any better, and the selection was worse, and I certainly didn't know my way around that place either.
So, eventually, I went back to that grocery store. I still don't like it as well as I used to. And now I go to other grocery stores as well. But I did return.
And you know what? Months after the Newsarama site did its remodel? After I decided to look around the web to see whether there was anyplace I preferred? I still go there every day. I don't stay there as long, and I go other places as well, but I do go.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Was there a need for this?
Princess Bride comic, to go with a Princess Bride game.
Yeesh.
We've got the actual movie, and it's decent, but I just don't get this.
Yeesh.
We've got the actual movie, and it's decent, but I just don't get this.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Brainfreeze speaks from a position of ignorance (once again!)
So I read where DC Comics is going to cancel that Minx line of books. If you don't recall, Minx was a line of comics aimed primarily at teen girls because hey, they read that manga stuff so maybe they'd read normal comics too! (I am of course only guessing at the thought process there.)
Apparently, while the quality of the books was good and critics seemed to approve, they're giving up because
Maybe it's my lack of understanding of modern comic salesmanship, but I find this confusing. They're trying to keep them away from the other comics in bookstores? (When my daughter is looking for comics at B. Dalton she goes to the graphic novel section, not the "young adult" section. Of course she is already a comic reader.) They aren't trying to sell them in regular comic shops? They're dropping the floppies because they don't have anyplace to sell the trades?
I freely admit that I've not read any of the Minx titles. While I'm technically part of the market for the line, having a teenage daughter, she reads and enjoys mainstream superhero titles, so I didn't see the point of seeking out additional ways to spend money. I remember reading about it when it came out, mentally wishing them well but certainly not invested personally in the concept.
But...doesn't it seem as if they haven't really given the books a real chance? According to the article, the Minx line was launched in February of last year. That's only about a year and a half since anyone even heard about these things. Is that really long enough to know whether something so radically new is going to catch on? To find a market? I'm sorry, but it almost seems to me as if the line was given only minimal marketing, and as soon as it was clear that it was going to take a little time for them to catch on, people were all too quick to say "well, that proves that girls don't read comics, now we never have to pretend to try to reach them in the future and no one can pester us about it ever again!"
Apparently, while the quality of the books was good and critics seemed to approve, they're giving up because
Random House, DC’s book trade distributor, has not been able to successfully place MINX titles in the coveted young adult sections of bookstores like Barnes & Noble.
Multiple sources close to the situation agree Bond and DC aren’t to blame for MINX’s cancellation, and that this development should be seen as a depressing indication that a market for alternative young adult comics does not exist in the capacity to support an initiative of this kind, if at all.
Maybe it's my lack of understanding of modern comic salesmanship, but I find this confusing. They're trying to keep them away from the other comics in bookstores? (When my daughter is looking for comics at B. Dalton she goes to the graphic novel section, not the "young adult" section. Of course she is already a comic reader.) They aren't trying to sell them in regular comic shops? They're dropping the floppies because they don't have anyplace to sell the trades?
I freely admit that I've not read any of the Minx titles. While I'm technically part of the market for the line, having a teenage daughter, she reads and enjoys mainstream superhero titles, so I didn't see the point of seeking out additional ways to spend money. I remember reading about it when it came out, mentally wishing them well but certainly not invested personally in the concept.
But...doesn't it seem as if they haven't really given the books a real chance? According to the article, the Minx line was launched in February of last year. That's only about a year and a half since anyone even heard about these things. Is that really long enough to know whether something so radically new is going to catch on? To find a market? I'm sorry, but it almost seems to me as if the line was given only minimal marketing, and as soon as it was clear that it was going to take a little time for them to catch on, people were all too quick to say "well, that proves that girls don't read comics, now we never have to pretend to try to reach them in the future and no one can pester us about it ever again!"
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Where I go on the internet to get my comic fix.
As a comic fan (though, hopefully, not a fanatic), I do make use of the internet in pursuing my hobby. Today I'm talking a bit about how I do that.
I check the various comic blogs by way of Bloglines. I'm rather behind at the moment, but I guess that's the beauty of using a feed collector, that you can read when you've got the time. I usually intend to read a few every day, but in practice I always seem to end up spending a few hours catching up every few weeks.
Most days, I usually glance at the headlines on Comic Book Resources and the comic section at Newsarama, scrolling down at the former to see if there are any interesting previews up (usually there aren't). Often that's the extent of my everyday comic news reading. Since I'm basically a "Big 2" reader, I find that I learn most of what I'd want to know this way.
If I have a little more time, I check Comic Boards, specifically the boards for Captain America and Green Lantern.
Every so often I look for new wallpaper at Marvel. DC is nice, they put their new designs up every Wednesday. Usually there's nothing I'm interested in, but occasionally I get something new and pretty for my computer screen.
These days I check Twitter whenever I happen to be online, but then Twitter is still all shiny and new to me right now.
I used to check my stats online every week or so, but haven't done so in quite some time. Still, it's interesting info to have.
I also spend a fair amount of non-specific comic-researching time at Wikipedia, looking up various characters and titles that I've seen mentioned elsewhere.
And, generally speaking, that's about it. There are other sites I go to on occasion, but as far as my usual route goes, that's it.
I check the various comic blogs by way of Bloglines. I'm rather behind at the moment, but I guess that's the beauty of using a feed collector, that you can read when you've got the time. I usually intend to read a few every day, but in practice I always seem to end up spending a few hours catching up every few weeks.
Most days, I usually glance at the headlines on Comic Book Resources and the comic section at Newsarama, scrolling down at the former to see if there are any interesting previews up (usually there aren't). Often that's the extent of my everyday comic news reading. Since I'm basically a "Big 2" reader, I find that I learn most of what I'd want to know this way.
If I have a little more time, I check Comic Boards, specifically the boards for Captain America and Green Lantern.
Every so often I look for new wallpaper at Marvel. DC is nice, they put their new designs up every Wednesday. Usually there's nothing I'm interested in, but occasionally I get something new and pretty for my computer screen.
These days I check Twitter whenever I happen to be online, but then Twitter is still all shiny and new to me right now.
I used to check my stats online every week or so, but haven't done so in quite some time. Still, it's interesting info to have.
I also spend a fair amount of non-specific comic-researching time at Wikipedia, looking up various characters and titles that I've seen mentioned elsewhere.
And, generally speaking, that's about it. There are other sites I go to on occasion, but as far as my usual route goes, that's it.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
A disparity
The other night I stayed up far too late watching a movie called Cinemania, a documentary about several rabid film fans in New York. I found it interesting less because of the movie aspect than because the folks seemed, to me, to be pretty much the same folks you sometimes see as rabid fans of science fiction or comics or model trains or whatever--they didn't have the best social skills, focused their energies on their hobby rather than on work or relationships, and seemed essentially to have the attributes of stereotypical nerds or geeks--the movie-fan version of the Simpsons' Comic Book Guy. (I would assume that a lot of that had to do with editing, of course.)
Anyway, a couple of things occurred to me.
First, that apparently there's a basic similarity among capital-F Fans of all stripes--that the stereotypical comic book fan (and they are out there, although certainly they are a minority) isn't the way s/he is because of anything about comics but because of the degree of obsession. It's the person, not the hobby itself.
And second, why is it that when we hear the word "film buff," we don't think of these guys? We think of someone who maybe likes to see a movie or two a week, but it doesn't interfere with his or her job or social life. We don't automatically envision the extreme end of the fan spectrum. But say the words "comic fan" and automatically it's Comic Book Guy who comes to people's minds.
Anyway, a couple of things occurred to me.
First, that apparently there's a basic similarity among capital-F Fans of all stripes--that the stereotypical comic book fan (and they are out there, although certainly they are a minority) isn't the way s/he is because of anything about comics but because of the degree of obsession. It's the person, not the hobby itself.
And second, why is it that when we hear the word "film buff," we don't think of these guys? We think of someone who maybe likes to see a movie or two a week, but it doesn't interfere with his or her job or social life. We don't automatically envision the extreme end of the fan spectrum. But say the words "comic fan" and automatically it's Comic Book Guy who comes to people's minds.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
I guess it stays on the list
So I asked the fourteen-year-old whether she likes the Robin comic enough to keep getting it.
"I'd read it. More than I would some other comics."
That's actually a fairly enthusiastic response from a fourteen-year-old. :)
"I'd read it. More than I would some other comics."
That's actually a fairly enthusiastic response from a fourteen-year-old. :)
Monday, September 22, 2008
Never enough!
The fourteen-year-old now has all of the Marvel Zombies Minimates in her collection. She's wondering if they're going to make more of them. They're cute, being Minimates.
I'm still not planning to buy any more of the comics, though.
I'm still not planning to buy any more of the comics, though.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Hmmmm.
We aren't getting Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam 2 but after seeing this preview I am pretty sure we're going to pick up the trade.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Speculative thinking
Scroll down some in this interview with Paul Cornell about Captain Britain and MI13 and you'll see a pic of team members Black Knight and Faiza Hussain enjoying a fairly friendly ride on Dane's flying horse.
Not that I don't wish Dane well, but if things are developing in this direction, I'm kind of sorry to see it. Because I kind of like the character of Faiza. And Dane doesn't have the best track record with women. Oh, he's no Kyle Rayner--they don't die on him--but they tend to leave. Leave him, and leave whatever book they're both in.
Also, she's a new character, and an interesting one, providing a unique viewpoint. I'd hate to see her natural character development interrupted in favor of love interest stuff.
Not that I don't wish Dane well, but if things are developing in this direction, I'm kind of sorry to see it. Because I kind of like the character of Faiza. And Dane doesn't have the best track record with women. Oh, he's no Kyle Rayner--they don't die on him--but they tend to leave. Leave him, and leave whatever book they're both in.
Also, she's a new character, and an interesting one, providing a unique viewpoint. I'd hate to see her natural character development interrupted in favor of love interest stuff.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
What I Want: The December 08 Marvel Solicitations
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #20
NEW AVENGERS #48
MS MARVEL #34
These solicits are classified until the release of Secret Invasion #8.
Okay, fine, be that way.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #579
We have excess of extra “M”s so: This month starts with a mountain of massively malevolent mayhem from the minds of Mark Waid (52, CAPTAIN AMERICA) and Marcos Martin (DR. STRANGE: THE OATH). With Spidey trapped underground, the Web-Head learns more about the surprising new cast-member who promises to cause trouble for him and his old pall JJJ.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #580
When a bizarre criminal endangers his Aunt May, Peter Parker is determined to bring him to justice. But who is this strange, faceless felon? How can Spider-Man stop a guy who can slip through his webbing? And, hey, what's Pete’s pal Joe Robertson been up to? New York Times best selling author and veteran Spider-writer Roger Stern and artist Lee Weeks (SPIDER-MAN: DEATH & DESTINY, CAPTAIN MARVEL) join forces to tell the story we could only call "Fill in the Blank!" Honest!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #581
"The Trouble with Harry" (or "Harry Osborn and the Chamber of Secrets")
It would sure help HARRY OSBORN if he could remember the completely logical, non-magical, and totally plausible way he came back from the dead. A skill like that could be useful, now that his ex-brother-in-law, THE MOLTEN MAN, is out to kill him!
Actually I need to ask the fourteen-year-old, since this is for her, whether she's liking this enough to keep getting it.
AVENGERS/INVADERS #7 (of 12)
Marvel’s biggest self-contained story of the year continues! Featuring Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and spanning the generations from 2008 to the war-torn days of World War II! Surrounded by a trio of enemies they thought long-vanquished, The Avengers are victims of one of the most powerful pieces of technology in the Marvel Universe. Meanwhile, the Invaders find themselves trapped in an alternate reality that promises to destroy its most powerful member as the countdown to Armageddon begins.
"Self-contained," such a good thing.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #45
It's Bucky versus Batroc and a mysterious foreign agent from his past as the Winter Soldier, as he fights to keep a secret super-weapon from falling into enemy hands! But the shocking ending of this three-parter brings a new twist to the mission... and sends our New Captain America in search of whatever is left of his old comrades, the Invaders.
Oooh, Batroc!
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THEATER OF WAR: AMERICA FIRST!
In this second installment of a series exploring the storied history of America's greatest champion, Howard Chaykin pulls back the Iron Curtain on one of Captain America's wiliest nemeses -- Soviet Russia and her never-ending parade of spies, saboteurs, fifth columnists...so many we had to make this story double-sized! Before his role in “The Death of Captain America,” no one was more patriotic than the Cap of the Fifties, even if he does have Steve Rogers’ shoes to fill. Unfortunately, Nick Fury, a newly minted operative of the CIA, isn't about to let him off the hook that easily. But Cap and Fury better start working together, or they'll find themselves buried in Reds! PLUS: a bonus reprinting of a classic Cap tale from the fabulous fifties!
For some reason this interests me. I am not ordinarily a big Chaykin fan, art-wise, but I suspect for this book it'll work.
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #8
Pete Wisdom couldn't save John the Skrull. He couldn't save anyone he cared for. Being in his unit can be fatal. So now all else seems lost, now Plokta's engine for making Mindless Ones is threatening the world... what will he sacrifice to save the Black Knight? Widescreen horror action with passion, as only Marvel makes it.
Long as Black Knight and Spitfire are in this book, I am probably there.
MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: SECRET INVASION AFTERMATH
As SECRET INVASION draws to its exciting conclusion, SPOTLIGHT will be on hand to capture the effects the mega-event of 2008 has had on the Marvel Universe! We'll check in with SI maestro Brian Michael Bendis as he catches his breath from orchestrating the biggest alien confrontation in Marvel history, and see what he's done with the heroes who stood in harm's way — and those who were Skrulls all along! Look for sneak previews of SI spinoffs like SECRET WARRIORS and the long-awaited SPIDER-WOMAN series, where we take series creators aside and learn all their secrets! Plus: plenty of lists for readers eager to track all the movements of Skrulls past, present and....future? The secrets of the SECRET INVASION, unlocked in this month's MARVEL SPOTLIGHT!
This is actually a big maybe, but I'm embarrassed to admit how much I'm tempted.
MARVEL ADVENTURES THE AVENGERS #31
Good Things Come to Those Who Bait! With the Avengers vacationing on the sunny California beaches, Tigra hopes to finally conquer her fear of water, but things go sour when Iron Man challenges Luke Cage to a deep sea fishing contest and the two of them, ahem, bend the rules a bit. Iron Man sends a sonar pulse to stir up the really big fish, unfortunately rousing not only a monster from the deep, but also one seriously angry Prince of Atlantis...Namor, the Sub-Mariner! Lucky the Avengers brought the Hulk along! It's the slugfest to end all slugfests, and it does nothing to help Tigra's fear of water!
For the nine-year-old, but I like it too!
MOON KNIGHT #25
CONCLUSION TO “THE DEATH OF MARC SPECTOR”
Norman Osborn ain’t fooling around no more. He’s brought out his big gun. It’s Moon Knight versus Bullseye -- and only one will survive. For real.
Honestly this one has been dragging a bit but I'm still interested.
PATSY WALKER: HELLCAT #5 (of 5)
Patsy’s adventure in the great white north comes to a close. She’s wrestled wolves, fought yetis, dazzled her foes with grace and charm and hit things – lots of things! It will have all been for nothing though if she can’t return the mystical heir to her home. But what if the heir doesn’t want to return?
This has been a fun book so far, despite the actual plot.
RUNAWAYS #5
Written by TERRY MOORE
Pencils & Cover by HUMBERTO RAMOS
The chase is on! The Majesdanians have returned and want blood. Can the Runaways run fast enough to escape? Will Karolina and Xavin ever look at each other the same way again? Can Chase get out of his new job early enough to help them?
For the fourteen-year-old, assuming she wants it (she's only seen one issue so far, which I don't think is enough for her to judge the series, but really it's up to her).
SHE-HULK: COSMIC COLLISION
It's a double-sized sci-fi spectacular, guest-starring the Lady Liberators (fresh from the pages of The Hulk) and the female heroes from the Guardians of the Galaxy! When She-Hulk finds herself suddenly transported off-world, it’s up to her and a collection of the universe’s most powerful heroines including Storm, Thundra, Valkyre and the Invisible Woman - to figure out what’s going on...before a brand-new foe annihilates them!
Yeah, okay, we'll try this one.
SHE-HULK #36
From the pages of HULK, it's Invisible Woman, Thundra, and Valkyre - The Lady Liberators! She-Hulk's fellow heroines hold She-Hulk back from delivering ultimate justice? And is our gamma-powered glamazon becoming more savage than sensational?
Haven't been disappointed in this one yet.
YOUNG X-MEN #9
The two-part juggernaut, "The Y-Men" concludes as the Young X-Men face the next generation of super-powered villains. Who could be more threatening than evil mutants? You'll have to read this issue to find out!
The only x-book we get.
DEADPOOL #5
This is what Deadpool has to resort to, only days after single-handedly saving the entire planet from Skrulls? Oh, that’s right—nobody knows about that...Deadpool didn’t even want this job. But here he is anyway, in some dank corner of Eastern Europe, going toe-to-toe with an undead plastic surgeon and his flesh-eating clientele, contracted by the head of a greasy paramilitary unit to avenge the zombification of the guy’s young, ex-model trophy wife -- and all because Wade’s dead broke.
We have high hopes for this title.
NEW AVENGERS #48
MS MARVEL #34
These solicits are classified until the release of Secret Invasion #8.
Okay, fine, be that way.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #579
We have excess of extra “M”s so: This month starts with a mountain of massively malevolent mayhem from the minds of Mark Waid (52, CAPTAIN AMERICA) and Marcos Martin (DR. STRANGE: THE OATH). With Spidey trapped underground, the Web-Head learns more about the surprising new cast-member who promises to cause trouble for him and his old pall JJJ.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #580
When a bizarre criminal endangers his Aunt May, Peter Parker is determined to bring him to justice. But who is this strange, faceless felon? How can Spider-Man stop a guy who can slip through his webbing? And, hey, what's Pete’s pal Joe Robertson been up to? New York Times best selling author and veteran Spider-writer Roger Stern and artist Lee Weeks (SPIDER-MAN: DEATH & DESTINY, CAPTAIN MARVEL) join forces to tell the story we could only call "Fill in the Blank!" Honest!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #581
"The Trouble with Harry" (or "Harry Osborn and the Chamber of Secrets")
It would sure help HARRY OSBORN if he could remember the completely logical, non-magical, and totally plausible way he came back from the dead. A skill like that could be useful, now that his ex-brother-in-law, THE MOLTEN MAN, is out to kill him!
Actually I need to ask the fourteen-year-old, since this is for her, whether she's liking this enough to keep getting it.
AVENGERS/INVADERS #7 (of 12)
Marvel’s biggest self-contained story of the year continues! Featuring Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and spanning the generations from 2008 to the war-torn days of World War II! Surrounded by a trio of enemies they thought long-vanquished, The Avengers are victims of one of the most powerful pieces of technology in the Marvel Universe. Meanwhile, the Invaders find themselves trapped in an alternate reality that promises to destroy its most powerful member as the countdown to Armageddon begins.
"Self-contained," such a good thing.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #45
It's Bucky versus Batroc and a mysterious foreign agent from his past as the Winter Soldier, as he fights to keep a secret super-weapon from falling into enemy hands! But the shocking ending of this three-parter brings a new twist to the mission... and sends our New Captain America in search of whatever is left of his old comrades, the Invaders.
Oooh, Batroc!
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THEATER OF WAR: AMERICA FIRST!
In this second installment of a series exploring the storied history of America's greatest champion, Howard Chaykin pulls back the Iron Curtain on one of Captain America's wiliest nemeses -- Soviet Russia and her never-ending parade of spies, saboteurs, fifth columnists...so many we had to make this story double-sized! Before his role in “The Death of Captain America,” no one was more patriotic than the Cap of the Fifties, even if he does have Steve Rogers’ shoes to fill. Unfortunately, Nick Fury, a newly minted operative of the CIA, isn't about to let him off the hook that easily. But Cap and Fury better start working together, or they'll find themselves buried in Reds! PLUS: a bonus reprinting of a classic Cap tale from the fabulous fifties!
For some reason this interests me. I am not ordinarily a big Chaykin fan, art-wise, but I suspect for this book it'll work.
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #8
Pete Wisdom couldn't save John the Skrull. He couldn't save anyone he cared for. Being in his unit can be fatal. So now all else seems lost, now Plokta's engine for making Mindless Ones is threatening the world... what will he sacrifice to save the Black Knight? Widescreen horror action with passion, as only Marvel makes it.
Long as Black Knight and Spitfire are in this book, I am probably there.
MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: SECRET INVASION AFTERMATH
As SECRET INVASION draws to its exciting conclusion, SPOTLIGHT will be on hand to capture the effects the mega-event of 2008 has had on the Marvel Universe! We'll check in with SI maestro Brian Michael Bendis as he catches his breath from orchestrating the biggest alien confrontation in Marvel history, and see what he's done with the heroes who stood in harm's way — and those who were Skrulls all along! Look for sneak previews of SI spinoffs like SECRET WARRIORS and the long-awaited SPIDER-WOMAN series, where we take series creators aside and learn all their secrets! Plus: plenty of lists for readers eager to track all the movements of Skrulls past, present and....future? The secrets of the SECRET INVASION, unlocked in this month's MARVEL SPOTLIGHT!
This is actually a big maybe, but I'm embarrassed to admit how much I'm tempted.
MARVEL ADVENTURES THE AVENGERS #31
Good Things Come to Those Who Bait! With the Avengers vacationing on the sunny California beaches, Tigra hopes to finally conquer her fear of water, but things go sour when Iron Man challenges Luke Cage to a deep sea fishing contest and the two of them, ahem, bend the rules a bit. Iron Man sends a sonar pulse to stir up the really big fish, unfortunately rousing not only a monster from the deep, but also one seriously angry Prince of Atlantis...Namor, the Sub-Mariner! Lucky the Avengers brought the Hulk along! It's the slugfest to end all slugfests, and it does nothing to help Tigra's fear of water!
For the nine-year-old, but I like it too!
MOON KNIGHT #25
CONCLUSION TO “THE DEATH OF MARC SPECTOR”
Norman Osborn ain’t fooling around no more. He’s brought out his big gun. It’s Moon Knight versus Bullseye -- and only one will survive. For real.
Honestly this one has been dragging a bit but I'm still interested.
PATSY WALKER: HELLCAT #5 (of 5)
Patsy’s adventure in the great white north comes to a close. She’s wrestled wolves, fought yetis, dazzled her foes with grace and charm and hit things – lots of things! It will have all been for nothing though if she can’t return the mystical heir to her home. But what if the heir doesn’t want to return?
This has been a fun book so far, despite the actual plot.
RUNAWAYS #5
Written by TERRY MOORE
Pencils & Cover by HUMBERTO RAMOS
The chase is on! The Majesdanians have returned and want blood. Can the Runaways run fast enough to escape? Will Karolina and Xavin ever look at each other the same way again? Can Chase get out of his new job early enough to help them?
For the fourteen-year-old, assuming she wants it (she's only seen one issue so far, which I don't think is enough for her to judge the series, but really it's up to her).
SHE-HULK: COSMIC COLLISION
It's a double-sized sci-fi spectacular, guest-starring the Lady Liberators (fresh from the pages of The Hulk) and the female heroes from the Guardians of the Galaxy! When She-Hulk finds herself suddenly transported off-world, it’s up to her and a collection of the universe’s most powerful heroines including Storm, Thundra, Valkyre and the Invisible Woman - to figure out what’s going on...before a brand-new foe annihilates them!
Yeah, okay, we'll try this one.
SHE-HULK #36
From the pages of HULK, it's Invisible Woman, Thundra, and Valkyre - The Lady Liberators! She-Hulk's fellow heroines hold She-Hulk back from delivering ultimate justice? And is our gamma-powered glamazon becoming more savage than sensational?
Haven't been disappointed in this one yet.
YOUNG X-MEN #9
The two-part juggernaut, "The Y-Men" concludes as the Young X-Men face the next generation of super-powered villains. Who could be more threatening than evil mutants? You'll have to read this issue to find out!
The only x-book we get.
DEADPOOL #5
This is what Deadpool has to resort to, only days after single-handedly saving the entire planet from Skrulls? Oh, that’s right—nobody knows about that...Deadpool didn’t even want this job. But here he is anyway, in some dank corner of Eastern Europe, going toe-to-toe with an undead plastic surgeon and his flesh-eating clientele, contracted by the head of a greasy paramilitary unit to avenge the zombification of the guy’s young, ex-model trophy wife -- and all because Wade’s dead broke.
We have high hopes for this title.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
What I Want: The December 08 DC Solicitations
TRINITY #27-31
The Dark Trinity, having revealed a traitor in their midst, attempts to take the newly ordered world by storm with a new recruit by their side! Meanwhile, find out exactly where the original Trinity – Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman – are and what's become of them and the strange new world they inhabit!
Yeah okay, I'm still getting this. Geez.
DETECTIVE COMICS #851
“Last Days of Gotham” part 1 of 2! Longtime BATMAN writer and editor Dennis O’Neil returns to The Dark Knight for this special two-part tale. Joined by artistic rising star Guillem March (JOKER’S ASYLUM: POISON IVY), O’Neil’s “Last Days of Gotham” dives into the soul of a city that has lost its most famous citizen, its favorite son, its beloved protector. How will Gotham City react in the wake of the horrible tragedy that has befallen The Caped Crusader?
Oh, why not?
BATMAN #684
W“Last Days of Gotham” part 2 of 2! In a world without a Batman, what happens when Commissioner Gordon lights the Bat-signal, in desperate need of assistance against the growing tide of crime sweeping his city? What does Nightwing do when his longtime partner fails to aid him in yet another of Two-Face’s villainous assaults against Gotham? Without The Dark Knight to protect its walls, Gotham City may be facing its final days!
Crossovers, bah.
TITANS #8
There's a traitor in the Titans' midst, and the entire Tower is under lockdown until the team can discover which member could betray them. The problem is, there's no real way to investigate, since the traitor is now a sleeper agent!
At some point I may reconsider this title, but not quite yet.
SECRET SIX #4
It's Viva Las Vegas for DC's most dangerous and demented team as the mysterious Junior tightens the noose around all their necks! That squeeze pushes one Secret Six member towards a life-threatening hazard that proves once and for all that rest-stop bathrooms really should be avoided at all costs!
Plus, the new sixth member has joined the team, but is she really willing to stick with the Six all the way to Gotham with half the villains in the DC universe chasing them?
Probably the first thing I'll be reading from this bunch.
SECRET SIX #4
It's Viva Las Vegas for DC's most dangerous and demented team as the mysterious Junior tightens the noose around all their necks! That squeeze pushes one Secret Six member towards a life-threatening hazard that proves once and for all that rest-stop bathrooms really should be avoided at all costs!
Plus, the new sixth member has joined the team, but is she really willing to stick with the Six all the way to Gotham with half the villains in the DC universe chasing them?
The fourteen-year-old (yes, she had a birthday :)) seems to like this one.
ROBIN #181
Red Robin is revealed, and Anarky is unleashed in Gotham City! A daring jailhouse rescue rips the GCPD apart, forcing the Spoiler to live up to her name! Plus, Oracle and Jason Bard team up again! And while all this is going on, where is Robin? Maybe he's M.I.A.... or is it R.I.P.?
We're giving this one a try for a while, dependent on what the kids think.
BIRDS OF PREY #125
After their intense encounter with The Joker last issue, Oracle and Black Canary take a much needed breather. Of course, vacations don’t always go as planned and this one’s plagued by one threat after another!
It'll be nice to see Black Canary back in this title, even for a little while.
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #31
A prelude to “Blackest Night” chapter! As the growing power of the Star Sapphires intensifies, the next law is burned into the Book Of Oa by the Guardians resulting in further life-altering reverberations amongst the personal lives of the Corps. Meanwhile Kyle and Natu battle Kryb for the soul of Lantern Amnee and Matoo's infant son.
So when do I have to start picking up the regular GL title as well if I want to get all of "Blackest Night"?
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #22
Concluding the sequel to KINGDOM COME and featuring several pages of painted interiors by Alex Ross! The Justice Society have had their greatest wishes granted, but at what deadly price? As war breaks out among the Justice Society, the cost of Gog's watchful eye comes to light. But removing Gog from Earth will cost more than they could ever imagine. This finale will leave the Justice Society torn apart...and see a new team rise out of the ashes!
I will freely admit that I'm looking forward to seeing the end of the Kingdom Come thing. Not that I haven't been enjoying the book overall, but damn.
WONDER WOMAN #27
“Rise of the Olympian” part 2! The Society’s ultimate weapon, Genocide, remains on the loose and on a murderous rampage while Wonder Woman has to deal with the ramifications, both mental and physical, of failing to stop the threat. Meanwhile, the Amazons make their long-awaited return to a home they barely recognize, and a god makes a promise to Athena that will change the landscape of the DC Universe forever – and that’s just the stuff we can tell you about!
That cover looks worrisome.
SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE EIGHTH GRADE #1
Meet Linda Lee! She’s the newest kid on the block – and the planet, too! Find out how an ordinary girl from Krypton became the most extraordinary girl on Earth in the pages of this brand new monthly series. And if you think life is tough as a hero, try being in the eighth grade.
This looks to have potential...
SCOOBY-DOO #139
Reprinting the hauntingly fun tale from SCOOBY-DOO #115, Shaggy and Scooby wish that Mystery, Inc. didn’t exist, only to find that monsters and villains are everywhere, because no meddling kids were around to stop them!
For the nine-year-old.
The Dark Trinity, having revealed a traitor in their midst, attempts to take the newly ordered world by storm with a new recruit by their side! Meanwhile, find out exactly where the original Trinity – Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman – are and what's become of them and the strange new world they inhabit!
Yeah okay, I'm still getting this. Geez.
DETECTIVE COMICS #851
“Last Days of Gotham” part 1 of 2! Longtime BATMAN writer and editor Dennis O’Neil returns to The Dark Knight for this special two-part tale. Joined by artistic rising star Guillem March (JOKER’S ASYLUM: POISON IVY), O’Neil’s “Last Days of Gotham” dives into the soul of a city that has lost its most famous citizen, its favorite son, its beloved protector. How will Gotham City react in the wake of the horrible tragedy that has befallen The Caped Crusader?
Oh, why not?
BATMAN #684
W“Last Days of Gotham” part 2 of 2! In a world without a Batman, what happens when Commissioner Gordon lights the Bat-signal, in desperate need of assistance against the growing tide of crime sweeping his city? What does Nightwing do when his longtime partner fails to aid him in yet another of Two-Face’s villainous assaults against Gotham? Without The Dark Knight to protect its walls, Gotham City may be facing its final days!
Crossovers, bah.
TITANS #8
There's a traitor in the Titans' midst, and the entire Tower is under lockdown until the team can discover which member could betray them. The problem is, there's no real way to investigate, since the traitor is now a sleeper agent!
At some point I may reconsider this title, but not quite yet.
SECRET SIX #4
It's Viva Las Vegas for DC's most dangerous and demented team as the mysterious Junior tightens the noose around all their necks! That squeeze pushes one Secret Six member towards a life-threatening hazard that proves once and for all that rest-stop bathrooms really should be avoided at all costs!
Plus, the new sixth member has joined the team, but is she really willing to stick with the Six all the way to Gotham with half the villains in the DC universe chasing them?
Probably the first thing I'll be reading from this bunch.
SECRET SIX #4
It's Viva Las Vegas for DC's most dangerous and demented team as the mysterious Junior tightens the noose around all their necks! That squeeze pushes one Secret Six member towards a life-threatening hazard that proves once and for all that rest-stop bathrooms really should be avoided at all costs!
Plus, the new sixth member has joined the team, but is she really willing to stick with the Six all the way to Gotham with half the villains in the DC universe chasing them?
The fourteen-year-old (yes, she had a birthday :)) seems to like this one.
ROBIN #181
Red Robin is revealed, and Anarky is unleashed in Gotham City! A daring jailhouse rescue rips the GCPD apart, forcing the Spoiler to live up to her name! Plus, Oracle and Jason Bard team up again! And while all this is going on, where is Robin? Maybe he's M.I.A.... or is it R.I.P.?
We're giving this one a try for a while, dependent on what the kids think.
BIRDS OF PREY #125
After their intense encounter with The Joker last issue, Oracle and Black Canary take a much needed breather. Of course, vacations don’t always go as planned and this one’s plagued by one threat after another!
It'll be nice to see Black Canary back in this title, even for a little while.
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #31
A prelude to “Blackest Night” chapter! As the growing power of the Star Sapphires intensifies, the next law is burned into the Book Of Oa by the Guardians resulting in further life-altering reverberations amongst the personal lives of the Corps. Meanwhile Kyle and Natu battle Kryb for the soul of Lantern Amnee and Matoo's infant son.
So when do I have to start picking up the regular GL title as well if I want to get all of "Blackest Night"?
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #22
Concluding the sequel to KINGDOM COME and featuring several pages of painted interiors by Alex Ross! The Justice Society have had their greatest wishes granted, but at what deadly price? As war breaks out among the Justice Society, the cost of Gog's watchful eye comes to light. But removing Gog from Earth will cost more than they could ever imagine. This finale will leave the Justice Society torn apart...and see a new team rise out of the ashes!
I will freely admit that I'm looking forward to seeing the end of the Kingdom Come thing. Not that I haven't been enjoying the book overall, but damn.
WONDER WOMAN #27
“Rise of the Olympian” part 2! The Society’s ultimate weapon, Genocide, remains on the loose and on a murderous rampage while Wonder Woman has to deal with the ramifications, both mental and physical, of failing to stop the threat. Meanwhile, the Amazons make their long-awaited return to a home they barely recognize, and a god makes a promise to Athena that will change the landscape of the DC Universe forever – and that’s just the stuff we can tell you about!
That cover looks worrisome.
SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE EIGHTH GRADE #1
Meet Linda Lee! She’s the newest kid on the block – and the planet, too! Find out how an ordinary girl from Krypton became the most extraordinary girl on Earth in the pages of this brand new monthly series. And if you think life is tough as a hero, try being in the eighth grade.
This looks to have potential...
SCOOBY-DOO #139
Reprinting the hauntingly fun tale from SCOOBY-DOO #115, Shaggy and Scooby wish that Mystery, Inc. didn’t exist, only to find that monsters and villains are everywhere, because no meddling kids were around to stop them!
For the nine-year-old.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
The impatience quotient
You know how I know I liked Countdown better than I like Trinity?
When Countdown was going on, even though I wouldn't get my comics until the end of the month (four or five issues in the stack), I'd still tune in to the internet every Wednesday to see the other folks talking about what had happened. I couldn't help it, I was that anxious to know.
While I am enjoying Trinity more as time goes on, I'm still perfectly happy to skip all available spoilers and wait until the books are actually in hand.
When Countdown was going on, even though I wouldn't get my comics until the end of the month (four or five issues in the stack), I'd still tune in to the internet every Wednesday to see the other folks talking about what had happened. I couldn't help it, I was that anxious to know.
While I am enjoying Trinity more as time goes on, I'm still perfectly happy to skip all available spoilers and wait until the books are actually in hand.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Exploring the internet
I've never been what you'd call trendy, but I do like to take a peek at what's new on the internet. Usually I don't look at it until it's no longer precisely new, but I do get around to it eventually. Sometimes I even dip my toes in the water and try it out. More often than not, I never do anything further with it, as with Comicspace--although in that case I'm pretty sure it's a personal issue rather than a problem with the site because I've never been able to figure out the appeal of Myspace either.
So I've been trying to figure out this Twitter thing that people keep talking about. I'm not sure how to categorize it--it seems kind of like a blog, only the posts are shorter? And you read it like a Livejournal Friends page? I mean, it's neat, but I'm not sure I see what's new about it.
However, it's got comic book content, so I am there. :)
So I've been trying to figure out this Twitter thing that people keep talking about. I'm not sure how to categorize it--it seems kind of like a blog, only the posts are shorter? And you read it like a Livejournal Friends page? I mean, it's neat, but I'm not sure I see what's new about it.
However, it's got comic book content, so I am there. :)
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Why I buy
I've said before that I'm a comic fan who tends to follow characters.
Here's an example.
Yesterday I was placing my comic order online, and as always I'm looking over the list, thinking about what I'm liking and what I'm maybe not enjoying as much as expected.
So...Captain Britain and MI13.
I liked it quite a lot at first but lately it's starting to drag a bit. I might consider taking it off the list, but I won't be. Because the Black Knight is on the team. He's a character I follow, therefore his presence saves that title from the chopping block.
I know it's not sensible. But there it is.
Here's an example.
Yesterday I was placing my comic order online, and as always I'm looking over the list, thinking about what I'm liking and what I'm maybe not enjoying as much as expected.
So...Captain Britain and MI13.
I liked it quite a lot at first but lately it's starting to drag a bit. I might consider taking it off the list, but I won't be. Because the Black Knight is on the team. He's a character I follow, therefore his presence saves that title from the chopping block.
I know it's not sensible. But there it is.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Again with the realization that I'm not a real collector
So I'm ordering my comics (the ones that will arrive in...November? I can never remember. Anyway, there's always a moment of "Holy crap!" when I call up my pull list. Not because I'm going to be spending $250 on comics in a month. You see, the system defaults to putting every variant available on the order list and you go through and delete the ones you don't want. No, the "Holy crap!" is because I know there are folks out there who are spending the $250 to get all the variants.
I haven't seen a variant cover yet that I'd be willing to pay extra for.
I haven't seen a variant cover yet that I'd be willing to pay extra for.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Like I need more Avengers. Oh, wait...
Here's a link to an interesting announcement from Marvel.
So...Dark Avengers.
Oh, I'll buy it. I know I will. I just won't be able to do so without giggling a little.
After thanking retailers for the success of this summer's Secret Invasion, Bendis announced the Marvel event that follows that storyline will be called Dark Reign, which will focus on the "after effects" of Secret Invasion, and will include several Marvel Universe titles that will feature "Dark Reign" trade dress.
More specifically Bendis went on to say the post-Invasion Marvel Universe will feature a complete change in his Avengers family of titles, including Bendis leaving Mighty Avengers with issue #20 and the launch of a new title Dark Avengers, with art by Mike Deodato.
So...Dark Avengers.
Oh, I'll buy it. I know I will. I just won't be able to do so without giggling a little.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Must research now!
So I've read in a couple of places where some of the events of Countdown are not actually supposed to have happened (or, at least, not to have happened as portrayed therein). Is this so? And if so, where do I go to find out what still applies and what doesn't?
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Monday, September 08, 2008
Who's reading?
As a kid reading comics, I didn't think much about who else might be reading them--whether they were aimed specifically at kids. I suppose if I'd thought about it, I might have considered them entertainment for young people, in part because I didn't know any adults who read them but mainly because most of the ads in the comics were intended to appeal to kids. Even back then, the ads in a particular periodical were the best way to see what the intended audience for that perioical was.
Adults didn't buy Sea Monkeys.
Adults didn't sell seeds, or Grit (do they even still publish Grit?).
Adults probably weren't all that interested in x-ray specs.
However, kids weren't interested in building up their muscles in order to avoid having sand kicked in their faces at the beach in front of the fickle woman who had accompanied them there.
Teens and twenty-somethings, on the other hand, might have sent their money to Charles Atlas.
So even back then, there seems to have been some awareness that there were people other than kids reading the comics.
Now, when exactly was it that car ads started appearing in comics?
Adults didn't buy Sea Monkeys.
Adults didn't sell seeds, or Grit (do they even still publish Grit?).
Adults probably weren't all that interested in x-ray specs.
However, kids weren't interested in building up their muscles in order to avoid having sand kicked in their faces at the beach in front of the fickle woman who had accompanied them there.
Teens and twenty-somethings, on the other hand, might have sent their money to Charles Atlas.
So even back then, there seems to have been some awareness that there were people other than kids reading the comics.
Now, when exactly was it that car ads started appearing in comics?
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Online shopping!
The thirteen-year-old is soon to become the fourteen-year-old, and (since I don't believe she reads this blog I think I can post this safely :)) I'm shopping eBay today for Marvel Minimates. I still don't see the appeal of toys that fall apart and it's a feature, but both the kids absolutely adore them.
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Why haven't I been reading this?
Okay, I've definitely got to check out that Incredible Hercules one of these days.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Another kid book?
There's a mention in Lying in the Gutters of a possible new series called "DC Elementary." It appears to feature kid versions of DC universe characters in a school setting, which isn't something I'd usually go for personally--on the other hand I've always got my eyes open for something new and kid-oriented that's also something an adult can tolerate. I expect we'll give it a try when it comes out.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Another middle-aged woman heard from
I've never been to a comic convention. It's never been a real goal of mine (not that big a fan of crowds), but if the opportunity arose and it wasn't too much of an effort to get there, I'd go, and I've always assumed I'd enjoy it.
Then I read this. Now, as I'm sure you all can guess given that I have a teenage daughter, I am a middle-aged woman--albeit, presumably, a "useful" one according to the standards of the post because I have children and am probably still technically capable of doing so again, late menopause running in my family and all that. I'm also quite polite as a matter of course, and cannot imagine doing anything like the outrageous behavior the poster describes. So I know that I'm not who he is talking about.
But now I'm wondering whether, if the stars align correctly and I ever manage to make it to a comic convention, my behavior is going to be judged more harshly than other con-goers because I'm not as ornamental as I was twenty years ago.
Of course it's not all great on the other side of the fence, either. I've been the young woman in a group mostly made up of men as well, and the attention you get in that situation isn't universally positive either. People make allowances for things they really shouldn't, praise you for things that really don't deserve it, etc. I suppose this is just the opposite side of that coin.
Then I read this. Now, as I'm sure you all can guess given that I have a teenage daughter, I am a middle-aged woman--albeit, presumably, a "useful" one according to the standards of the post because I have children and am probably still technically capable of doing so again, late menopause running in my family and all that. I'm also quite polite as a matter of course, and cannot imagine doing anything like the outrageous behavior the poster describes. So I know that I'm not who he is talking about.
But now I'm wondering whether, if the stars align correctly and I ever manage to make it to a comic convention, my behavior is going to be judged more harshly than other con-goers because I'm not as ornamental as I was twenty years ago.
Of course it's not all great on the other side of the fence, either. I've been the young woman in a group mostly made up of men as well, and the attention you get in that situation isn't universally positive either. People make allowances for things they really shouldn't, praise you for things that really don't deserve it, etc. I suppose this is just the opposite side of that coin.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Making the rules
The thirteen-year-old wanted to play Heroclix today, which means that she volunteered to get out all the stuff and put it all away when the game is over, so yeah!
We've never really worked out a solid set of house rules, instead attempting to play most of the Heroclix rules with occasional simplifications. It doesn't work that well. Possibly because we're all drawing from the same pool of characters, possibly because some aspects of the official rules are A PAIN IN THE ASS!, I don't know. So, after some discussion with the kids, here's what we came up with.
First of all, we've got a reasonable pool of figures to draw from and we want to be able to use all of them. Therefore, no one is considered "retired" at our house. (That probably goes without saying.)
We also like to play so that there aren't any duplicate characters on the board (just one Batman, just one Spider-Man, etc.) unless they're actually different individuals in the same costume. We don't worry about whether these characters would have actually interacted in continuity--maybe this is one of those time travel things, after all. So, for example, we could have three or four Robins out there at once if desired. (I realize that we could also use the time travel rationalization to justify the presence of multiple versions of the same character, but so far this has not seemed desirable.)
This isn't usually much of a problem since we're all drawing from the same pool of figures. Generally we spend a fair amount of time forming our teams, taking turns choosing a piece at a time. So far we've had relatively little argument of the "but I wanted to use Starfire!" sort.
(One of the difficulties with everyone using the same set of figures--apart from the occasional disagreement over who gets who--is that you don't really know your pieces that well while you're playing. I'm assuming that in a normal game, where everyone brings their own, you've probably got a pretty good idea of what your characters can do at different points because you looked at them in detail ahead of time. When you choose the pieces immediately before playing, you can't really do that. )
Next, the pushing thing. "Pushing" means that if you move the same figure more than one turn in a row, it takes damage, and you place tokens by the pieces in order to remember which have been moved recently. I see the point in the game, it makes sense. The pushing itself isn't the problem. However, having to keep track of move tokens? It's probably the reason we don't play more often than we do.
Then, the turns. In Heroclix, the bigger the teams (well, the higher the total point value, which works out to roughly the same thing), the more moves each person gets to make during their turn. Now, the kids like big teams. They like at least 1000 points and prefer more--which if you follow the rules means that everyone gets 10 moves or more per turn. A nine-year-old gets a little bored waiting for twenty moves while the other two players take their turns. And a nine-year-old takes a heck of a long time making her own ten (or more) moves.
So today we tried one move per turn. Not having to get out the poker chips (which is what we've used as tokens, placing one under a piece that's been moved) was a nice change, and it's remarkably easy to keep track of the figures you moved last turn when there was only one--requiring no tokens because we all know who moved what last, which makes the pushing thing relatively painless. It's a more exciting game without the long waits, and while I'm sure it interferes with some potential strategizing, for us the tradeoff in playability is worth it.
We've never really worked out a solid set of house rules, instead attempting to play most of the Heroclix rules with occasional simplifications. It doesn't work that well. Possibly because we're all drawing from the same pool of characters, possibly because some aspects of the official rules are A PAIN IN THE ASS!, I don't know. So, after some discussion with the kids, here's what we came up with.
First of all, we've got a reasonable pool of figures to draw from and we want to be able to use all of them. Therefore, no one is considered "retired" at our house. (That probably goes without saying.)
We also like to play so that there aren't any duplicate characters on the board (just one Batman, just one Spider-Man, etc.) unless they're actually different individuals in the same costume. We don't worry about whether these characters would have actually interacted in continuity--maybe this is one of those time travel things, after all. So, for example, we could have three or four Robins out there at once if desired. (I realize that we could also use the time travel rationalization to justify the presence of multiple versions of the same character, but so far this has not seemed desirable.)
This isn't usually much of a problem since we're all drawing from the same pool of figures. Generally we spend a fair amount of time forming our teams, taking turns choosing a piece at a time. So far we've had relatively little argument of the "but I wanted to use Starfire!" sort.
(One of the difficulties with everyone using the same set of figures--apart from the occasional disagreement over who gets who--is that you don't really know your pieces that well while you're playing. I'm assuming that in a normal game, where everyone brings their own, you've probably got a pretty good idea of what your characters can do at different points because you looked at them in detail ahead of time. When you choose the pieces immediately before playing, you can't really do that. )
Next, the pushing thing. "Pushing" means that if you move the same figure more than one turn in a row, it takes damage, and you place tokens by the pieces in order to remember which have been moved recently. I see the point in the game, it makes sense. The pushing itself isn't the problem. However, having to keep track of move tokens? It's probably the reason we don't play more often than we do.
Then, the turns. In Heroclix, the bigger the teams (well, the higher the total point value, which works out to roughly the same thing), the more moves each person gets to make during their turn. Now, the kids like big teams. They like at least 1000 points and prefer more--which if you follow the rules means that everyone gets 10 moves or more per turn. A nine-year-old gets a little bored waiting for twenty moves while the other two players take their turns. And a nine-year-old takes a heck of a long time making her own ten (or more) moves.
So today we tried one move per turn. Not having to get out the poker chips (which is what we've used as tokens, placing one under a piece that's been moved) was a nice change, and it's remarkably easy to keep track of the figures you moved last turn when there was only one--requiring no tokens because we all know who moved what last, which makes the pushing thing relatively painless. It's a more exciting game without the long waits, and while I'm sure it interferes with some potential strategizing, for us the tradeoff in playability is worth it.
Monday, September 01, 2008
I want my old action figures!
So they're coming out with Justice Society action figures next spring, which is of course great news. The first set includes Golden Age Green Lantern, Golden Age Flash, Sandman, and Starman.
They look good, but I was awfully disappointed to see that Alan Scott and Jay Garrick are young Alan Scott and Jay Garrick. Since this seems to be a series based on characters in the current Justice Society title (Thom Kallor in the starfield suit is not a Golden Age character), I had really hoped to see action figures of grey-haired Jay and...well, actually, I can't remember if Alan is old or young right now, but you get my point. I'd have bought Jay as he appears now because he is awesome. I'm not really interested in owning this Jay.
On the bright side I'm hoping--and the thirteen-year-old is really hoping--to see figures of Stargirl and Cyclone in future sets!
They look good, but I was awfully disappointed to see that Alan Scott and Jay Garrick are young Alan Scott and Jay Garrick. Since this seems to be a series based on characters in the current Justice Society title (Thom Kallor in the starfield suit is not a Golden Age character), I had really hoped to see action figures of grey-haired Jay and...well, actually, I can't remember if Alan is old or young right now, but you get my point. I'd have bought Jay as he appears now because he is awesome. I'm not really interested in owning this Jay.
On the bright side I'm hoping--and the thirteen-year-old is really hoping--to see figures of Stargirl and Cyclone in future sets!
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